Keyboard of calculating machines



l.. FOURNIER ET' AL KEYBOARD OF CALCULATING MACHINES Original FiledSept. 2, 1919 y ily/1...@ l M J im; M,

Patented Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS FOURNIER vAND GRABD MANG, OF PARIS, FRANCE; SAID FOURNIER ASSIGNORT SAID MANG.

KEYBOARD or cALcULA'ri'NG MACHINES.

Original application flied September 2, 1919,*Serial No, 321,045.Divided and this application lcd `November 25, 1921. Serial No. 517.614.

To all lwhom 'it lmay concern Be it known that we, Louis FOURNIER andGuAnnhL-iive, citizens of the Republic of France, both residing at 20'2rFaubourg Saint Antoine` Paris, France, have invented new and useful Imrovements in the Keyboards of Calculating Machines (for which we havefiled applications in Great Britain, tiled January 14, 1921, No. 210()of 1921; France, filed August 25, 1920, No. 522856; Switzerland,

filed September 17, 1921, Serial No. 93611;

- and Germany, filed September 1, 1920, Se-

rial No. 354,899), of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to computing machines.

It is characterized by an arrangement of the keyboard, according towhich each key, when depressed, takes down with it the next key of alower numerical value. In this way, the key-board can be made very muchmore compact than would be possible if each key were independent of theothers, as it is of no importance whether or not the finger of the oerator simultaneously covers two or more keys, provided he does notoperate a key of a higher numerical value than is required.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 in top View shows a portion of the top plate of the key-board ofa. calculating machine, suiiicient for the comprehension of theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top view of Fig.

3, partly in section.

The machine comprises a number of series of keys, one only being shownin the drawing. Each series comprises as usual, a set of keys 82 eachkey provided with its spring 823 for returning it to its initialposition.

The stem 821 of each key is guided at its middle portion in the topplate 39 of the.

machine, and, at the bottomfin aY guide 83 iastenedrtoV the said lpllate(Fig. 3), and each key 'is provided wit a spur 82z (Fig. 2)

' so situated that it is adapted to be engaged by the adjacent key of ahigher numerical lto be slid on its shaft 761.

value, the arrangement being suoli that, on depressing one key, say thekey corresponding to numeral 3 (Fig. l), the said key will carry alongwith it and depress the ad- ]oining key of a lower numerical value, viz.key corresponding to numeral 2, which, in turn, will actuate the keycorresponding to numeral l. while, if key corresponding to numeral 1 isdepressed, it will obviously not actuate any other key. It will thus beseen that, by this arrangement, thel operator is not compelled toexercise any care in depressing his keys; for instance he need notexercise care in depressing only the key corresponding to numeral 3, butmay put his fingers on keys corresponding to numbers 1, 2, and 3. Thevadvantage of this arrangement resides in the compactness of each seriesof keys.

The stems 821 of the keys 82 are each provided with a horn 824. The freeend of each horn 824 passes through a slot 831 (Fig. 3) made in a guide83 and the row of horns occupies a position in a line with an abutment841 (Fig. 4) mounted on a leaf-spring 842 fastened to a fork 8415 by ascrew 841.

Then the keys 82 are in normal position, each horn 82* is in line withan abutment 841 (Fig. 3) on a cursor 84 and prevents any movement ofthis latter. As each key is depressed, its horn 82" recedes fromengagement with the abutment 841 and the cursor 84 is free to slideunder the act-ion of a spring 86* taking with it the usual settingpinion 7 6 by an amount dependent upon the number of keys 82 which havebeen depressed. The movement of the setting pinion 76' on its shaft 761is effected by the action of the said spring 864 upon a fork 845integral with the cursor 84 and adapted to engage the setting pinion 76,which is oper-ated by the usual stepped druni fast on'a shaft 69, as inan ordinary computing machine.

The cursor 84, which projects above the top plate 39, is fitted in aslot/'SACLFigV Y of the latter andisonected to a fork 84' Y(Fig.3)/'fadapted to engage the movable setting pinion 76, so as to enablethe latter Integral with the cursor 84 and fork 84" is arranged a rack861, which is fastened by means of screws 87. The said rack is subjectedto 3 and loose on e stud 865 and carrying.'

the usuel number wheel 8G, one of the nun'iorais of each o'l which, shy0, as 1n Flgure 4, is n'mdo To appear through an aperture 10 ST1 in U10plate 3S). I claim: A key-board for mechanically operated calculatingmachines comprising u number of keys adapted to be depressed, n spur oneach key extending over the key of the nextiowei numerical yvalue andadapted to `engage, therewith lwhen depressed. horns fitted on smid keys:1nd obstructing the pas Hsage of u Sliding pinion when in the raisedposition and alloming it to pass when depressed.

LOUIS FGURKIER. GERARD HANG.

